Lighten Up Your Hair

Use Your Filter

By Zoe Schaeffer

EXPERT TIP: You coat your body in sunscreen, now make your hair part of the routine. New SPF products for locks will work wonders in the rays. We like Rene Furterer Protective Summer Fluid.

Time Out

EXPERT TIP: If you’re used to highlighting your hair every six weeks, try stretching it out to eight during the summer months, suggests Kacey Welch, colorist at Neil George Salon in Beverly Hills. “Since the sun will also lighten it a bit, you don’t want to overdo it.”

Dry Spell

EXPERT TIP: People think hair gets drier in winter, but more damage is actually caused in summer. Before you hit the beach, try sealing in color with a leave-in conditioner or an oil-based product. They’re both hydrating and protective so hair doesn’t turn to straw. Both Kerastase Leave-In Conditioner for UV and Chlorine Protection and Neil George Indian Gooseberry Oil do the trick.

Swim Lessons

EXPERT TIP: Chlorine from the pool can cast a green hue on blondes. Be sure to use a great clarifying shampoo — we love Frederic Fekkai Apple Cider Shampoo — to strip strands of nasty build-up. And if your salon visit falls soon after a day by the pool, ask for an in-house treatment. (Neil George offers the “Malibu Treatment” where crystals are rubbed through hair, build-up is released and hair is left shiny and silky.)

Code Red

EXPERT TIP: Try this one at home: Smooth tomato juice on chlorine soaked locks to cancel out the greenish tint caused by chlorine, says George Papanikolas, a colorist at Andy LeCompte Salon in West Hollywood. “But in severe cases, wipe out any lingering minerals with a chelating shampoo.” We love K-PAK Chelating Shampoo.

In Treatment

EXPERT TIP: A monthly protein treatment is a great way to reconstruct sun-damaged hair. But don’t try this at home — too much of the potent stuff can make hair brittle, so it’s best to leave it in an expert’s hands. Ask about treatments at your local salon.

LIGHTEN UP YOUR HOME FOR SUMMER, TOO

Shower Power

EXPERT TIP: Any old conditioner from the shower will protect in a pinch during a swim. Coat tresses before you dunk, and chlorine won’t latch on to your locks so easily. Now that’s good last-minute thinking.